


Cold When You’re Not Around

by PurplePlatypusBear21



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Azula Ship Challenge, Consent heavy, Consent is Sexy, Cunnilingus, Drama, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Time Blow Jobs, Jetzula - Freeform, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Romance, Virgin!Azula, Virgin!Jet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-01-15 08:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12317571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurplePlatypusBear21/pseuds/PurplePlatypusBear21
Summary: “There’s a boy who sneaks in through my window every night…”  AU where Jet barely escapes death and becomes consumed with revenge for his brainwashing by the Dai Li.  Written for the Azula Ship Challenge.  Azula x Jet.  Jetzula.  Maiko side pairing.





	1. Mistake

Everything had gone more or less back to normal since their little excursion to Ember Island.  Ty Lee was off cartwheeling about, or whatever it was she did during her spare time, Zuko and Mai worked out their differences and took every opportunity they could to be alone together, doing all sorts of horrendous things behind closed doors, and Azula, she went back to training hard and resumed her old antics of deception and manipulation.  Except, one thing was different…

Of course, Azula would never acknowledge it, but a recent layer of loneliness had begun to influence her actions and thoughts, shrouding her usually rational judgment, following her around like a shadow and gnawing at her insides.  Maybe this was why she had been spying on her brother and Mai so often. 

These two were really starting to sicken her.  Their tender glances, their sappy smiles, their incessant kissing!  Blech.  Why had she even bothered to bring him home?!  She didn’t need him.  She certainly didn’t help restore his honor so he could spend every moment with _her_.  What could he possibly see in her anyway?  She was so painfully boring and quite dull in the looks department.  The princess could not comprehend his fixation with her at all.  The way he looked at her like she was _everything_.  Azula sighed with a mixture of anger, envy, and pity, wondering if anyone would ever look at her that way…

The thought was fleeting.  She didn’t have time to waste on such petty nonsense.  These self-doubts were truly pathetic.  She was the most beautiful, smartest, perfect girl in the world for Spirits’ sake!  Ty Lee knew it.  The bubbly girl with warm eyes and a warmer smile who never had any trouble capturing the attention of boys.  No, they drooled all over her like filthy lapdogs.  They ogled her like she was the most coveted of treasures.  Azula’s hands balled into fists, her chest tightening.  Why not her?  What was wrong with her?  Maybe she really was a mon-

No.  Nothing was wrong with her.  Chan was a fucking idiot for running away like that.  Azula smirked as she reminisced about trashing his house and ruining his party.  He deserved it.  He deserved it for kissing her and bolting.  How dare he?  Who did he think he was? 

She shook her head, emptying her mind of these unpleasant trivialities.  It was no matter.  It wouldn’t be long before she became of age and Ozai would undoubtedly marry her off to some wealthy Fire Nation nobleman’s son.  These trite insecurities would surely disintegrate into the past.  There was nothing to fear.  Nothing at all.

She took a deep breath and smiled to herself.  It was time to do one of her most favorite activities: interrupt Zuko and Mai.

* * *

Jet had staked out the perimeter of the Palace for weeks.  He knew the face of each and every guard, and more importantly, when those ugly bastards changed shifts.  The area between the walls and the Palace would be the most difficult to infiltrate.  Those damn guard towers.  To say he would have to be cautious would be an understatement.  If he so much as _breathed_ the wrong way, it could very well be the end of him.

But it would all be worth the potential danger.  He had to put everything on the line.  What would be the point of getting a second chance at life if he wasn’t going to take full advantage of it?  And he knew his destiny.  He had to kill Prince Zuko.  _Lee._   That Fire Nation scum.  If it hadn’t been for that shifty spider-rat, Jet would have never been brainwashed.  There’s nothing worse than having your own mind turned against you.  Now Zuko was going to pay the ultimate price.  And to think, they had once been something akin to friends.

Friendship was overrated anyway.  Jet knew he was better off alone.  This way, no one could get in his way.  No one could judge him.  _“I thought we were going straight now.”  “I thought we were starting over here, changing our ways.”_   _“We came here to make a fresh start.”  “Jet, you gotta stop this.”_   Please.  At least Smellerbee and Longshot now thought he was dead.  Everyone did.  Good.

He was ready.  His so-called friends should have known it would take more than a stupid rock to end his life.  The Spirits were right behind him.  He was given a new purpose, an unstoppable drive, and he was not going to squander it.  He scurried up and over the barrier while the guards emptied their towers.  He sprinted to the Palace exterior, pressing himself flush up against the hard stone.  Holding his breath until his lungs hurt, he shimmied into the blind spot between towers.

So far so good.  He knew he only had a few minutes to scale the wall before new guards resumed their vigilant watch from the towers and others made their rounds on foot.  He began to climb.  Up, up, up until he reached a small wooden balcony.  He dove in over the railing, landing stealthily and silently on his feet.  All those years hiding out in the forest were sure proving useful. 

Although he was confident in his ability to reach the Palace, he had never been able to obtain a full blueprint of the interior.  Still, this balcony had to lead somewhere.  To a bedroom no doubt.  It had to be the prince’s bedroom – it just _had_ to be.  He could _feel_ it.  He was drawn to it. 

The window was locked as he had expected, but fortunately lock picking was just one of the skills in his arsenal of crafty talents.  He slid through the crack of the two glass doors to find one sleeping member of the royal family.  Zuko may have bested him once, but now he was finally going to meet his match.

He smirked as he readied his hook swords.  But as his eyes adjusted further to the darkness of the new atmosphere, he realized the sleeping prince was actually a sleeping beauty.  The Fire Nation Princess.  Azula.  The cruel, sadistic firebending prodigy with flames as blue as ice.  His blood ran cold. 

_Shit._


	2. Lightning Strikes

He considered aborting the mission altogether.  He was in the wrong room.  Trapped with a tiger-shark.  Could he successfully cross the room and get outside without waking her?  What would happen if he made it out into the hallway?  Were there guards outside her bedroom?  Even if he did make it out, which way was Zuko’s room? 

He sighed with frustration, his brow furrowing.  He had come too far for this to fail.  Perhaps Azula hadn’t been his intended target, but _all_ Fire Nation garbage needed to be taken out.  Not to mention she was a key instrument in this dreadful war.  The prima ashmaker. 

Under normal circumstances, Jet knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against her in hand-to-hand combat.  But here she was, lying innocently in her bed, sound asleep.  It was like the Spirits themselves were offering him a gift.

Adrenaline pumping through his veins, he tiptoed over to her as silent as could be, his hook swords ready at his sides.  Slowly, he raised his weapons, one above his head and the other across his chest.  His face contorted with disdain.  This was it.  This.  Was.  It.

He stared at her for a moment, his features softening the faintest amount as his questionable conscience raised a voice of objection.  Why was he suddenly stricken with second thoughts?!  He had prepared for this!  Sure, it wasn’t Zuko.  But Azula would be an even greater prize, wouldn’t she?  Damn it all.  Could he actually go through with it?  Could he –

The princess made his choice easy by kicking him squarely in the chest, sending him flying backwards.  He landed on his feet in a defensive crouching position.  Ugh.  Of course she’d be a light sleeper.  Even through the darkness of the room, her golden eyes glowed with the sun’s wrath as she sprung out of bed and stared him down.  It was like staring death in the face.  Oh boy.  He had fucked up.

He wasn’t sure what to do next.  Sure, he could try to escape, but he doubted she would allow it.  He could try to stand his ground and fight her, but she would surely destroy him.  Well, either way, he didn’t expect to be able leave with his life, so he may as well go down swinging. 

She charged at him swiftly like lightning piercing through storm clouds.  Why wasn’t she screaming out for her guards?!  Did she actually want to fight him?  Maybe she knew it wouldn’t be much of a match.  Still, he had to try.  He had to fight for everything in his life.  This was no different.

He leapt back, dodging her attack by jumping up onto her dresser.  With the added height advantage, he swung his hook swords down at her chest.  Instead of arching her back as he had anticipated she would, she ducked underneath his attack.  Needless to say, he was startled when she vaulted high into the air and met him on her dresser, and further taken off guard when she swept his legs out from under him.

Falling to the floor, he rolled into a backwards somersault, holding the swords out to his sides.  This girl wasn’t even firebending at him!  How arrogant.  Either she thought he was _really_ pitiful, or – there was no time to think about it.  Not when she was flying through the air, just about to pounce on him.  He rolled out of the way just in the nick of time.  Whew.

They were both back on their feet squaring off in the following second.  Jet crossed his arms to get a solid swing at her with his swords, but she was much too fast for him.  She grabbed a hold of his outer arm and twisted it sharply away from his body, using the resulting pain to suppress his intended assault.  Even though they had only been battling for a minute, it was clear she was a better fighter and much more strategic than her brother.

In order to get out of the bind, he dropped to his knees, loosening her hold on him, and abruptly spun around.  Just as she was reaching for his wrists above his head, he jumped back up and swung his swords at her feet in an attempt to hook her ankles.  She took the opportunity to stomp on the metal, causing his arms to hyperextend uncomfortably.  Damn her. 

He crouched as he tried to pull the hooks out from under her foot, but as soon as he lowered himself, she kicked him with her free foot hard in the shoulder.  He slid against the cool tile of the floor, landing with his back pressed up against her mattress.  In the next moment, she was on top of him straddling his waist, his dark cloak balled in her grasp and a fire dagger to his throat.  So this was the legendary blue fire at which everyone marveled.  It truly was a sight to behold, just… preferably not so close to his skin.

She yanked him forward and hissed into his ear.  “Drop your weapons.”

Although her voice was unexpectedly smooth, it still gave him the chills.  For fear of being burnt, he did as he was told.  Her fire was hot as hell against his throat.  He gritted his teeth at her, not wanting to show any sign of weakness. 

Without releasing her grasp on him, she extinguished her flames to toss the swords away from his reach and then relit the blade of fire beneath his chin.  It was only then that he noticed the formfitting nature of her sleep robe, but he didn’t dare allow himself to get distracted.

“Who sent you?”

“No one.”  He smirked up at her, holding back the urge to spit in her pretty little face.  “I’m my own agent.”

She carefully studied his features, surely checking for any hint of dishonesty.

“The name’s Jet.”  He held her stare with his.

“And what good would it serve a dead man to reveal his name?”

His smirk spread.  “If you’re going to kill me, just do it already.”

She seemed amused by this answer, although he couldn’t exactly tell what was going through her head. 

“Hm.”  She released his cloak and brought her hand up to his chin, forcing it up to expose more of his neck.  “I could.  It would be so easy.”  She moved the dagger from one side to the other, a twisted smile forming on her pale pink lips as she decided where to pierce him.

So she was toying with him!  Unbelievable. 

“I’ve made up my mind.”  She yanked his chin back down and glared into his eyes.  “Get out.”  She quenched the fire blade and released him entirely. 

“What?” he exhaled, shocked.  Why would the heartless princess let him go?

“I said _get out_.”  She got off his lap and strolled casually back over to her mattress, reaching her arms up in the air to stretch.

“You’re not – ”

“Before I change my mind.”

She didn’t have to tell him again.  He collected his weapons from the floor and walked over to the window.  He reached for the glass doors but then turned to face her once again.  “Don’t you forget my name, Princess.”

Sitting with her ankles crossed on her bed, she raised an eyebrow at him.

“This isn’t over.”  And then he disappeared into the night.

* * *

Azula hugged her pillow close to her body.  Why was her pulse rushing like this when she was the one who had just beaten his sorry peasant ass?!  Well… it’s not like she was accustomed to having boys in her bedroom.  Her good-for-nothing brother was the only one who ever made unannounced, and usually unwelcomed, appearances.  But this boy… Jet… she saw something in him.  A darkness she admired.  And the fact that he was also devilishly handsome certainly didn’t hurt.

 


	3. Playing with Fire

Just as Azula was beginning to think she’d never see the rebellious boy again, she caught him sneaking into her bedroom once again in the dead of night.  So he had kept to his word after all.  This wasn’t over.  

Although admittedly longer than the first, their scuffle probably ended in less time than it took for him to scale the wall leading to her balcony.  Nevertheless, the princess found herself on top of the defeated peasant, who she had successfully managed to pin down to her desk.  She sat on his lower stomach, using the weight of her upper body to hold down his wrists. 

She narrowed her eyes at him.  “Do you have a death wish?” 

“Yes,” he spat.  “For the Fire Nation.  Especially you filthy ashmakers.” 

Her eyes widened the slightest amount.  Well, _that_ was a word she hadn’t heard in quite some time.  “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” 

“I would.  If the war hadn’t left me orphaned at the age of eight.” 

Was he trying to appeal to her sympathy?  Boy was he barking up the wrong tree.  Although, she was about the same age when Ursa was banished… what?  Why would she even think of that?  How could this lowly savage evoke any sort of sentimental reaction in her at all?!  Besides, Ursa’s disappearance was a blessing.  She didn’t need nor want the parent who favored her older brother and constantly blamed her for every little thing that went wrong.  

Still, eight was a pretty young age to lose both of your parents.  Okay, she had to get it together.  “Ah, come to avenge their deaths, I see.” 

“The Fire Nation took _everything_ from me,” he growled.  “You’ll pay.  You’ll all pay.” 

For a second she thought he was going to bite at her.  There was so much fire in those cold brown eyes of his.  It was delicious.  

“We’ll see about that.”  Keeping his arms pinned down at his sides, she dismounted him and slid off her desk.  Then she released his wrists and looked at him in a way that dared him to try and take another swing at her.  

He slowly sat up and eyed her with suspicion.  “Why are you doing this?  Why would you let me live?” 

It was clear he was trying to read her and failing.  She’d always had a penchant for intuitively understanding people while remaining somewhat of an enigma herself.  Oh how she lived for the mind games.  

“It’s simple really.”  She flashed him an uncharacteristically sweet smile.  She could tell he was unnerved by it.  “Your peasant blood means nothing to me.” 

He abruptly jumped off the desk and took a couple defiant steps closer to her.  Looking her straight in the eye, he glared at her with such contempt, a look she had only ever before seen coming from her dear Zuzu. 

“You should have killed me when you had the chance.”  And then he vanished out the window, her eyes watching him until the very last moment.

* * *

Wanting to keep her on edge, he only waited two nights before trying again.  Though this time, he had another goal in mind.  Azula may have been a master strategist, but so was he.  And every time he fought her, he was learning.  Her movements, her style, her technique.  This wasn’t about winning the fight but winning the war. 

He had to remind himself of that as she pushed him up against her wall, digging her knee into his thigh and pointing two deadly fingers engulfed in blue flames at his throat.  From this angle, it would be difficult to pierce her with his swords, but not impossible.  If he could just move his arm a little bit… 

Before he could attempt his strike, Azula surprised him by placing her finger to his lips.  What the hell was she doing?!  Was she coming on to him or something?!  He figured it out when he heard some guards running down the hall.  They must have made a sound when she pressed him to the wall.  And for whatever reason, she did not want the guards discovering them. 

They waited for a moment in silence until they heard the footsteps in the hall fade and disappear.  Then he tried to free his arm again.  Not a wise idea.  Azula’s flames grew stronger beneath his chin.  That bitch. 

“Ow!” 

“Won’t you give up already?” she hissed.  “ _I_ didn’t kill your parents, you know.” 

“I know.  I watched them die.”  

“So why are you so dead set on killing _me_?” 

“I wasn’t,” he explained, wondering how she’d react to the next part.  “My original plan was to kill Zuko.” 

“Zuzu?”  She laughed, weakening her flames. 

Well, that wasn’t the reaction he had expected, though he did find it amusing she called her brother by that ridiculous nickname. 

“What did he do this time?” 

“That piece of shit had me arrested by the Dai Li.”  He felt Azula tense up a bit.  Why would the Dai Li make her feel uncomfortable?  “Those scumbags _brainwashed_ me – they turned me into their own personal weapon.”  He noticed a distinct change in her breathing.  It was hard not to, with her chest pressed to his.  “Not that you’d have any idea what that’s like.” 

Her face grew pensive.  “Actually, I do.” 

Something about the softness in her voice made him believe her.  But was she really about to open up to him? 

“You should go,” she whispered.  

So much for opening up. 

“I need my beauty rest.”  She extinguished her fire altogether and backed away from him. 

It seemed his words had struck a chord.  A strange feeling crept over him… the desire to learn more about her was suddenly outweighing the desire to harm her.  This was no good.

* * *

Nights later, following a lengthy spar, he was on her bed.  Jet, the scrappy boy with eyes like chocolate, was sweating on her _bed_!  Slightly out of breath.  Warm beneath her.  Her knees were to both sides of his hips.  Oh Spirits.  Her heart was in her throat.  But she couldn’t let him see that.  She had to play it cool.  

“Back for more, hm?  Haven’t you tired of this game?” 

“Is that what this is to you?  A game?” 

She couldn’t tell if she had upset him with her choice of words.  Not that it mattered.  “What would you call it?” 

He smirked up at her, his eyes gleaming with mischief. 

She felt her cheeks go hot.  What was he doing to her?  That cocky bastard.  Enough of this.  She had to change the subject.  “I… I thought about what you said.” 

“About?” 

“Zuko.” 

His eyes darkened.           

“You know, you really shouldn’t bother with that useless moron.  He’s not worth your frustration.” 

He smiled, chuckling lightly.  “You’re protective of him?  That’s cute.” 

“Hardly,” she quickly dismissed, wondering why he’d conclude something like that.  Although… he wasn’t exactly wrong.  _Something_ did drive her to bring him back to the Palace with honor when she derived no direct benefit from it.  _Something_ did prevent her from ratting on him for visiting Uncle Fatso in prison.  _Something_ did compel her to warn him that Ozai was planning on killing him when they were children, not that he believed her.  She didn’t _always_ lie. 

“I don’t know, Azula.  Maybe you’re just keeping me occupied so I’ll leave your precious _Zuzu_ alone.”  

He was teasing her!  And… she didn’t exactly mind.  “You have it all wrong.”  She lowered her face to his and sharply pinched his cheeks together, forcing him to look at her.  “Zuzu is _mine_.  If anyone’s going to kill him, it’s going to be me.” 

They both broke out laughing.

* * *

He almost had her this time!  She had been cornered, and yet, she still managed to weasel herself out and take him down to the cold tile floor.  He was so close.  But he knew by the way she’d upped her game, she was finally beginning to see him as a worthy adversary.  That was satisfying on its own.  Though, not nearly as satisfying as the view from below her panting body.

The princess was lying on top of him, pinning his chest down with her forearm.  Her loose strands of black hair lay matted to her cheeks with sweat.  Her chest heaved as she gathered her breath.  Her unpainted face was so close to his.  And her sleep robe had loosened a bit in the front…

He brought his eyes back up to meet her golden ones, worried that she may have caught him checking her out.  But why was he even looking at her like this?!  It was preposterous.  She was a royal princess!  A spoiled, pampered brat!  Fire Nation!  A dirty ashmaker!  What the hell was he thinking?  He _loathed_ her.  He was supposed to _kill_ her.  But… she was beautiful.  Why did she have to be so beautiful?

Her playful voice brought him back to reality.  “If you’re ever going to win, you’re going to have to change your tactics.”

“I know.”  She was smirking at him.  How he wanted to wipe that smug look clean off her face.  And suddenly, he knew how.  “But I’m also starting to think you _like_ my late-night visits, Princess.” 

“Wh-What?!” she stammered, blushing.  “Don’t be ridiculous.” 

“Flustered are we?”  He met her smirk and raised her one.

Her brow furrowed.  “If anyone is enjoying this, it’s _you_ , you suicidal maniac.  Either you want me to kill you or perhaps you _like_ it when I end up on top of you.” 

He could tell she was shocked by her own outburst.  It was endearing.  “Maybe I do.”  

Gazing into her eyes, he propped himself up onto his elbows and leaned in closer to her, tilting his head a little to the side.  He watched her eyes flicker from his to his mouth and back up again.  So she did want him to kiss her.  Go figure. 

But still, he had been over this.  She was Fire Nation.  She stood for everything he was against.  They were enemies.  Even if her mouth beckoned him, he would not allow himself to cave in.

“You should get some rest,” he breathed against her lips.  “You don’t want to be too tired for training, now do you?” 

Just before she rolled off of him, he noticed a sobering sadness in her eyes, like her inner fire was dwindling.  On the lengthy list of all the disheartening things he had seen in his life, this was definitely toward the top.  He never wanted to see that look on her again.  What had he done? 


	4. Lies

Damn him, damn him, DAMN HIM!  That filthy peasant!  That cocky little savage!  He had been breaking into her room for over a week now, and for what?!  To have these futile spars?  Was there nothing more?  

No, of course not.  She should have known better.  She should have known he was just messing with her head.  How could she have been so foolish?  He didn’t want to kiss her.  No one ever did.  

Perhaps she had lucked out.  If he had kissed her, he probably would have fled immediately afterward, just like Chan. 

Boys were just intimidated by her, right?  That’s what Ty Lee had said anyway.  And they had every reason to be.  But Jet… he was different.  He wasn’t intimidated by her.  He wasn’t afraid of her in the slightest.  He just didn’t think of her in that way.  An attractive and charming boy like him, he could have his pick of the lot.  And he didn’t want her. 

Azula dragged her feet over to the turtle-duck pond to help clear her head.  Unfortunately, Zuko and Mai were already there.  Snuggling and kissing in the shade of the tree.  She wanted to set their stupid faces on fire.  

Well, there was no way she was going to torture herself and watch the freak show.  She started to turn back, but much to her chagrin, they heard her. 

“Azula?” Mai called. 

She sighed.  “Hello Mai.  Hello Zuzu.”  She begrudgingly approached the couple. 

“What do you want?” Zuko snapped at her, annoyed at the disturbance. 

“Good afternoon to you too,” she replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. 

Mai brought her hand to her brow to block out the sun.  “You look tired.” 

Seriously?  Mai of all people was commenting on her appearance?  She was one to talk.  “I didn’t sleep well.” 

“Neither did we,” Zuko grinned, causing his usually ghostly white girlfriend to turn bright red. 

Mai elbowed him sharply in the ribcage. 

The princess’s face coiled in disgust.  “Spare me the details, brother.  No one asked for this disturbing information.”  

“No one asked for a disruption either."  He lowered his eyes at her. 

“Fine.  I can take a hint.”  She turned and began walking away, wanting to get away from them as quickly as possible.  But before she was completely out of earshot, she overheard a snippet of their conversation. 

_“Maybe you should go after her, Zuko.  She seemed, I don’t know… off.”_

_“She’s fine.  I’m tired of her interruptions.  You know she does it on purpose, right?”_

_“I guess.”_

_He let out a cruel laugh.  “She’s so jealous of what we have.”_  

Azula squeezed her eyes shut.  Fucking asshole.  She’d make him regret that remark. 

Her chest aching, she marched herself over to the Agni Kai chamber, a place where she knew she could be alone.  And then she screamed her little head off and fired lightning every which way until she could no longer stand.

* * *

Jet knew it was probably not the best idea to return to her room after what happened, well, what _almost_ happened.  But somehow, he couldn’t stay away.  The more he tried not to think about her, the more she popped into his head like a curse he couldn’t seem to break.

It was clear she was genuinely surprised to see him again, but even with his unexpected visit, she did not hold back fighting him at all.  Quite the opposite in fact.  She was really railing on him that night, using her wrath to fuel each and every offensive move in her repertoire.  Spirits she was pissed.  That much was obvious. 

So when he inevitably ended up on his back underneath her, he actually feared for his life this time.  He swallowed hard, wondering if her bed would be his final place of rest.  At the very least, he vastly preferred her luxurious mattress to the cold, hard floor.  And he could think of a worse way to die than lying beneath a beautiful girl.

Through the light of the fire dagger she held to his neck, he could see a pained look in her eyes and the slightest quiver to her jaw.

“Well, looks like I win again,” she said mockingly.  “What a surprise.”

Oh no, she didn’t win.  Not yet.  He had an ace up his sleeve.  He just didn’t know if he should use it.  There were so many reasons not to.

“You really ought to quit interfering with my sleep, Jet.  You should do yourself a favor and leave me alo-”

Ah, fuck it.  He released his weapons at his sides, grasped her sleep robe, and pulled down, cutting off her sentence with a hard kiss.

Her body stiffened at first, but soon she relaxed into it and kissed him back, fervently and desperately, cupping his cheeks between her hands.

Perfect.  He had her exactly where he wanted.  While he had her occupied, he was able to flip her onto her back and get on top of her.  Finally!  This was his chance.  This is what he had been waiting for.  He could end her.  He could be a hero.  He could –

Breaking the kiss, he grabbed one of his hook swords and held it to her neck, feeling her heart pounding beneath the blade.

She glared up at him, her breathing heavy.  Still, she showed no fear.

He met her stare for the longest moment of his life.  And then her mouth moved.

“Do it.”

This was his enemy!  His opposition in the war.  A wretched ashmaker in his clutches.  He would be a traitor if he didn’t go forward with this.  But… the look of betrayal in her eyes was so heart wrenchingly sad, it nearly shattered him.  And he really had enjoyed that kiss.  Much more than he should have. 

“Do it!”

He forced her chin up with his palm, feeling her soft lips tremble beneath his hand.  Do it.  Do it already.  DO IT! 

Damn it all.  He threw down his weapon and placed his mouth on her neck, licking up her soft creamy skin where the sharp blade would have gone, his tongue leaving a trail of goosebumps in its path.

She gasped, her breath ragged.

He released his hand from her mouth and pressed his lips to hers, brushing her long dark strands of silk back behind her ear.

She reached up to rake her fingers through his wild hair, moaning softly into his mouth.

They kissed with such urgency, their mouths separating and reconnecting over and over unable to stay away, their curious hands gradually exploring different parts of each other as the night went on. 

He had kissed many girls before, but kissing Azula was something else.  Transcendental in a way.  She penetrated each fiber of his body, allowing him to momentarily forget who he was and question his purpose.  Maybe his second chance at life was not given so he could take down the Fire Nation royal family.  Maybe it was something more, something deeper.  Maybe it was… her.

No!  He couldn’t lose focus like this, he just couldn’t!  What he was doing with her was so wrong.  It didn’t feel wrong, but it was.  Their kisses, as consuming as they were, didn’t change the fact that she was still Fire Nation, she was still a firebender.  What would his Freedom Fighters think about this?  What would his _parents_ think?!

He pulled back from her, panting. 

With a gentle hand on his cheek, she gazed into his eyes.

“Azula,” he whispered breathlessly, “This doesn’t change anything between us.”

“Of course not,” she whispered back with a hint of a smile.

They kissed again softly, fully aware that what they had just told each other was a complete and utter lie.


	5. Silk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a little smutty. Their canon ages are not important for this story, so if it would make you feel more comfortable to age them up, please feel free to do so.

She only had to spend one night alone before he made his way back into her room once again.  This time there was no fight at all.  Just a tender embrace that led to them falling onto her mattress in a tangled mess of limbs.                                                  

She lay beneath him, pressed down by his full bodyweight as he kissed her ardently under her silken sheets.  His tongue danced and played with her own in a war of passion.  She could barely believe this was happening to her.  To finally have the desires of a boy who set her heart on fire.  It was like a dream.  She never wanted to wake up. 

Something was pressing between her legs as she kissed him.  Something hard.  Something growing.  _She_ was doing that to him.  Just kissing him was exciting him so much, he _had_ to push his hips into hers.  Spirits it felt nice.  _Really_ nice. 

“Jet,” she groaned softly into his ear, “That feels good.” 

“Yeah?” he whispered, his breaths strained. 

“Yeah.”  She spread her legs out wider to accommodate more of him, rolling her hips up to meet his.  

Picking up the speed of his movements, he brought his lips down to her neck, licking and nibbling her sensitive skin. 

“Oh Jet.”  Her heart was beating out of control.  Pressure was building and building in her groin the more his hardened length rubbed between her legs.  She felt as if she were about to lightningbend. 

“Do you want me to keep going?” he teased before delivering a sweet kiss to her neck. 

“Yes.  Don’t stop.”  What the hell was happening?  Her hips had taken on a life of their own, pressing hard against the boy’s stiffened manhood.  He was touching her in all the right places.  Before long, she found herself moaning uncontrollably.  “Oh Jet, ohhhh Jet.  That feels so good.  Spirits, Jet!”  Her nerve endings ignited as she came hard in an ecstatic burst. 

He smiled at her, a soft yet naughty grin.  “That… wasn’t your first, was it?” 

“No,” she panted, “Don’t be silly.” 

“So you’ve had other… _playmates_ before?” 

She noticed he had refrained from using the term ‘boyfriend’ but that was really the least of her concerns.  Having just accidentally admitted something _very_ personal, she covered her mouth with her hands and quickly shook her head, her cheeks growing hotter by the second. 

“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” he chuckled. 

“Well, I am.” 

“Why?”  He interlaced his fingers with hers.  “I think that’s pretty hot.” 

“Really?” she asked incredulously. 

“Yeah.  I can picture you, alone in bed, touching yourself, thinking of me, moaning my name…” 

“Jet, stop,” she laughed self-consciously. 

“Okay okay.”  He sighed.  “So… have you ever done _anything_ with anyone else before?” 

She shook her head.  “I’ve only ever kissed a boy.”  Did he think she was too innocent for him or something?  Because she was ready to prove how fast of a learner she could be.  She wanted him to teach her all the tricks of the trade. 

“What happened to him?” 

“He ran off immediately afterward.”  She laughed through her words to conceal her hurt feelings.  “He could not get away from me any faster.” 

“He sounds like an idiot.” 

“He was!  He really was.” 

He laughed before leaning down and kissing her lips.  “Azula?” 

“Yes?” 

“Do you want me to make you feel good again?” 

Her stomach somersaulted.  “Yes.”

* * *

Now that Azula had trusted him with some secret information regarding hidden Palace passageways, he was able to visit her every night.  It wasn’t a flawless plan – he still had to sneak in through her window since the Palace interior was so heavily guarded, but now at least he could bypass a good portion of the obstacles he used to face.

Though she was well worth any risk.  No girl before had ever made him feel this way.  So vulnerable.  So alive.  Fooling around with her under her silk covers set all his senses ablaze.  The way she kissed, her scent, her smile, the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips, the sounds she made when he pleasured her, her unparalleled beauty… every moment with her was a gift.  He valued every second.  Who knew how long they’d have to be together?

He kissed her gently on the lips, brushing the side of her soft cheek with his thumb down to under her chin.  He lifted it to expose more of her creamy skin.  She seemed to like it when he kissed her neck.  His cock twitched as he heard her moan. 

He flicked his tongue in the crook of her neck, sometimes pausing to lay tender kisses on her skin or lick her with longer, broader strokes.  Learning all about the inner workings of the princess, what got her going, what made her moan, was his utmost curiosity.  He wondered what she would do if he…

His hand trailed up her waistline to her breast.  Even over her robe, he could feel _plenty_.  She gasped with delight as he grazed his fingers over the peak.  Spirits, she made him so hard.  His pants were feeling way too restrictive. 

Kissing her neck and gliding his erection between her legs, he brought his hand down to the sash on her robe and began to untie it.

“Jet,” she breathed with hesitancy in her voice.

“Is this okay?”  He didn’t want to do anything to make her uncomfortable. 

It seemed like she could sense that.  She nodded.

“I need to hear you say it.”

“It’s okay,” she smiled.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

He smiled at her and untied her robe.

She looked at him impishly as she allowed the fabric to slide off her shoulders. 

His eyes trailed down her lithe figure.  Her breasts were full, but not too big.  The perfect handful.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Her abdomen was taut, lined with hard-earned muscles from years of training.  Her legs were strong yet shapely, partially obscured by black panties he wanted to rip off.  She took his breath away.  “Spirits, you’re beautiful.”

Blushing, she reached for his shirt, pulling it up the slightest amount.  He ducked and extended his arms to help her remove it.  And then she reached for his belt.  It seemed she was trying to even the playing field.  He made things easier for her by undressing himself.  Her hungry eyes roamed all over his body.  He smirked when he noticed she was staring at the bulge in his underwear.

“Come here,” she commanded.

He crawled back on top of her, but then he thought she might feel more at ease if she had some more control.  She was fairly inexperienced after all.  “Why don’t you get on top?”

“Okay.”  She flipped him onto his back, straddled his waist, and kissed him hard on the mouth.  It didn’t take long for her to position herself to that sweet spot.

His hands traced down her waist as she rocked her hips steadily against him.  She felt incredible, moving up and down his erection like that. 

As her thrusts became harder and her breaths more jagged, she stopped kissing him to focus on the pleasure.  Her eyes may have been shut, but his were firmly affixed to her breasts bouncing in the moonlight.  This girl was too much.  He placed a hand on her sternum, enthralled by the feeling of those soft mounds jiggling on both sides of it.

“Jet,” she panted, “Oh Jet, I’m close.”

He loved when she said his name in her throes of passion.  “Arch your back,” he grunted, pretty damn close himself.

She obeyed, pushing her chest into his face.

He took her breasts into his hands and began licking and sucking on each pink nipple.

She groaned from deep within her belly.  “More.”

Fuck he needed to cum.  He needed her to cum.  The sensation in his core was so powerful and only kept intensifying the more she grinded herself on his cock.  Still he continued to push back against her and run his tongue wild over her breasts.

She clutched the sheets at her sides, her toes curling as she neared her orgasm.  “Ohhhh, Jet!” she cried under her breath, as not to rouse any potential guards in the hallway. 

“Azula,” he breathed, shooting his hot load into his underwear.

She smiled softly at him as she finished riding out the waves of her climax and catching her breath.  “That was nice,” she sighed with half-lidden eyes.

“Yeah,” he grinned, “It was.”

“Would you like me to clean you up?”

“No, it’s fine.”  He didn’t mind the big sticky mess.

“Good,” she laughed, “because I’m falling asleep.” 

He kissed the top of her head.  “Sleep well, Princess.”

* * *

She loved to see the bronze-skinned boy so needy for her touch.  His hand was on her upper thigh as he kissed her feverishly on her bed.  But… something was wrong.  Something deep inside her usually calloused heart had been weighing on her for quite some time and was distracting her from the present moment.  To hell with this foreign feeling… _guilt_.  She had to come clean.

“Jet… I need to tell you something.”

“What… What’s wrong?”

She took a deep breath.  And then the words spilled from her like an avalanche tumbling down a mountain.  She told him everything.  About her connection to the Dai Li, how they had sworn their allegiance to her, and how she ultimately conquered Ba Sing Se.  As she spoke, she watched his face darken and twist with anguish.  She hated how her words hurt him like this.

“But… I didn’t know anything about the brainwashing, I swear.  I played no part in that.  If I had known…”

“Azula.”  His tone was cold enough to make her shiver.  He brought his hand to his forehead as he thought about what to say. 

“I’d understand if you didn’t believe me.”  Her voice faded.  “And if you want to leave…”

After what felt like an eternity, he looked into her eyes and spoke.  “I believe you.”

“You… you do?”

“I do,” he whispered before gently pressing his lips to hers.  “Thanks for telling me.”

“Jet,” she smiled warmly at him.  He trusted her!  He actually trusted her.  “I’d… I’d like to hear more about what happened to you.”

“I’ll tell you... just not right now.”  He grinned at her, clearly with other, more pressing thoughts on his mind.  For once, she didn’t mind having to be a little patient.

He captured her lips with a greedy kiss and lowered her down onto the mattress.  Reaching her hand behind his head, she pulled him closer to her, slipping her tongue into his eager mouth.  She loved the feeling of being weighed down by him, defenseless at his mercy. 

His hand traveled underneath her robe up her smooth leg, reaching around to grope her shapely behind. 

“Mmm,” she moaned as he gave it a squeeze, her hips bucking instinctively. 

He ground himself against her for a while, pushing his stiff cock between her legs, grunting softly through labored breaths.  But as soon as she felt that delirious rush start to take over, he rolled to his side, continuing to kiss her tenderly.  Why the hell did he stop?!  She needed him.  She _ached_ for him.

And then his hand crept slowly between her legs.  Oh, sweet Spirits!  He was touching her.  _There_.  Rubbing her with his fingers where it felt so unbelievably good. 

“Do you like this?” he asked.

“Yes, Jet.”  She was breathless.

He grinned and continued his handiwork, rubbing her back and forth over her panties.  She closed her eyes, pushing her hips against his hand and surrendering herself to his control.  Damn it this boy was driving her _wild_.  He didn’t touch her the exact same way she touched herself, but it was the unpredictability of it all that had her mesmerized.

She could feel his lips on her ear, his warm breath on her skin.  His hot tongue grazing her earlobe and licking up the rim.  She never would have imagined she’d enjoy these sensations, but Spirits they were doing wonders for her.  Where had he learned all of this?!

“Oh Jet, I’m gonna – ”

“Yes Azula, cum for me,” he breathed into her ear before giving it another lick.

She gripped onto his bare shoulders, digging her nails into his skin as his skilled fingers brought her to orgasm.  “Jet,” she whispered, slowly opening her eyes.  He was looking at her with a feral gleam, like he wanted to devour her.  She bit her lip in anticipation.

He continued to rub her slowly as she cooled down a bit, delivering sweet kisses to her lips.  But when she was ready to go again, she noticed him start to play with the inside of her panties.  She brought her eyes up to his dark gaze.

“Can I touch you like this?”  He moved his hand partially inside the fabric.

Her lips parted slightly.  “Yes.  Yes, I want you to touch me.”

He slowly pushed his hand all the way inside and began stroking her clit with his middle and index fingers in a circular motion.

“Ohhhhh,” she groaned, throwing her head back and rocking her hips.

He brought his lips back to her ear, where he began flicking his tongue against the lobe.  She was definitely not going to last long if he kept this up.  It seemed he was getting something out of this too by the way he was thrusting his stiffened member on her upper thigh.  This gave her an idea.

“Can I touch you too?”

“Y-Yes!” he answered without hesitation.  He smiled and quickly stepped out of his pants.

She couldn’t help but smirk at his desperation.  But then her eyes went to his hands slowly pulling off his underwear. 

“Do you like what you see?” he taunted.

Her cheeks flushed.  Yes, she was staring at it.  Of course she was.  She had never seen a naked man before.  Well, besides Zuzu when they were children, but that didn’t count.  “I do.”

He resumed his position on top of her and kissed her with hunger as his hand trailed back inside her panties.  As he worked his magic on her, she reached over and wrapped her fingers around his erection.

“Azula,” he moaned, placing his free hand on top of hers.  From there, he guided it up and down his hardened length.  “Like that.”

“Yeah, like this?”

“Yes, exactly,” he grunted.  “You’re doing great.”

* * *

The following night, he had a surprise for her.  If she was willing to give it a shot, that was.

He smiled as he watched her catch her breath in the afterglow of her release.  “Hey Azula… can I try something with you?”

“What?” 

“I want to make you feel _really_ good.”  His heart was pounding. 

“You already do that,” she laughed. 

“I think I can do better.” 

“What are you going to do?” 

“Just relax and if you don’t like it, tell me to stop and I’ll stop.”  

“Okay…” 

He began to kiss down her sternum, down her stomach, and down some more… 

“Jet, what are you – ohhhhhhh, Spirits!”

He kissed her between her legs, over her underwear.  From there, he proceeded to knead her clit with his tongue. 

“Jet,” she trembled, rolling her hips up toward his face.           

“Does this feel good, Princess?” 

“Yes, yes, _so_ good.” 

“Good.”  He continued to lick her over the fabric.  “You know, I think this would feel better if you took these off.” 

She looked down at him, panting.  “I think you’re probably right.” 

He smiled at her and slowly rolled off her panties.  “Wow.”  He was awestruck.  She was so perfect in every way.  So poised, so refined.  He couldn’t wait to bury his head between her legs and taste her. 

“Jet,” she cried, her legs jerking as he started. 

Spirits, she was delicious.  His tongue was going wild on her, he couldn’t hold back.  The way her hips were squirming beneath him just made him that much more crazy.  Soon he found himself rubbing his own cock against her mattress, moaning into her sopping wet core.  

“Don’t stop, Jet.  _Please_.” 

Her begging was music to his ears.  He flicked his tongue rapidly from side to side, stopping occasionally to suck on her swollen clit.  The gasps and groans she was emitting were unlike anything he’d ever heard.  Every sound she made was so incredibly sexy.  

“Like that, like that, like that.”  Her legs began to shake uncontrollably.  He felt a hand on the back of his head, pushing him down and pulling his hair.  “Make me cum, make me – ” 

He closed his mouth around her clit and sucked on it hard, sending her over the edge.  She had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from screaming.  He licked her gently as she finished riding out each blissful wave. 

“Jet,” she whispered, struggling for breath.  “Where did you learn that?!” 

“Oh, you know,” he grinned, lying down next to her.  “Here and there.” 

“I guess you’ve had a lot of practice.” 

He chuckled.  “Someone’s presumptuous.” 

She eyed him skeptically. 

“I’ve actually never done that before.” 

“Well I don’t believe that for a second,” she scoffed. 

“I mean it!” 

“Wait… so… does that mean… you’re a… are you a…” 

“A virgin?” he finished for her, laughing.  She was way too cute when flustered.  “Yes.” 

She smiled affectionately at him, seemingly pleased with this news.  “Jet… I want to make you feel _really_ good too.” 

His heart stopped.  “Y-You already do that.” 

“I think I can do better,” she smirked. 

And then her head disappeared under the sheets and he was lost to the night.


	6. Devotion

Her head in a fog from last night’s activities, Azula had completely forgotten about her chipper friend’s visit.  Not quite fully dressed, the princess opened her bedroom door. 

“Ty Lee!  Uhhh, come in.  Sorry… I got a late start this morning.” 

“That’s okay!”  The acrobat filed into the room and began walking on her hands across the tile floor. 

“I’ll just be a minute.”  She didn’t mind changing in front of her friend. 

She gasped.  “Azula!  Is that a hickey?!” 

“Shhhhh!”  Her blood curdled.  “What is wrong with you?”  She could seriously wring this girl’s neck. 

“I’m sorry!” 

“And no, for your information it’s _not_.”  She scowled.  “It’s just a bruise from training.” 

“No, no Azula.  I know a hickey when I see one.”  She smiled mischievously.  “Tell me everything.”  She walked on her hands over to the bed, where she did a front handspring onto the mattress. 

“Okay,” she sighed with reluctance.  “But if I tell you, you have to _promise_ not to tell anyone.” 

“Not even Mai?” 

“Especially not Mai!” 

“Okay, okay!  I promise.” 

She walked over to the bed and took a seat next to the overly energetic acrobat.  Keeping her eyes affixed to her lap, she took a deep breath.  “There’s a boy who sneaks in through my window every night.” 

“Oooooh!  You have a _boyfriend_?!  I can’t believe you have a boyfriend!” 

“Not so loud!” she hissed, lowering her own voice.  “He’s not exactly my _boyfriend_.”  Come to think of it, they’d never really talked about their feelings or defined their relationship at all, but she kind of liked that about them.  It would be a waste of their limited time together to discuss such things, especially given their insatiable sexual appetites.  “We’re just… fooling around.” 

Ty Lee grinned.  “So, what’s he like?  Which noble family is he from?” 

“Well, that’s the problem.  He’s not nobility.  He’s…”  She brought her voice down to the faintest whisper.  “… He’s not even Fire Nation.” 

She gasped. 

“He’s just an ordinary Earth Kingdom peasant.” 

She smiled.  “Knowing you, he’s anything but ordinary.” 

“Okay,” she conceded, “He’s anything but ordinary.  He’s… He’s…”  She couldn’t even find the words to describe him. 

“You _love_ him!” she squealed. 

“I do not!”  Her cheeks grew hot.  _Did_ she?  Was she in love with him?  How would she even know?  “And besides, it could never work out.  We’re on opposite sides of this war.  Father would _never_ allow it.” 

“Well… there’s one way you could be together…” 

What was the crazy girl talking about?  “How?” 

“If… please don’t be mad at me for saying this – ” 

“Out with it!” 

“If we lost the war…” 

Foolish girl.  “Ty Lee.  We _can’t_ lose the war.” 

“Well, we could… I mean, do you think the Avatar is _really_ dead?” 

“Honestly I don’t, but he’s just one person.  If I could take him down, Father could easily – ” 

“I’m just saying that maybe you should consider what you could _gain_ if we didn’t win,” Ty Lee interrupted.  “You two could be together – ” 

“And _everything_ I’ve worked to achieve in my life would be stripped away from me!” 

Ty Lee was clearly taken aback by the outburst.  “I’m sorry.  I should have never brought it up.” 

“It’s okay.”  She was in a forgiving mood.  It was hard not to be after what Jet had done to her last night. 

“So… tell me more about this boy!  What’s his name, what’s he look like, what have you done with him?!” 

She laughed.  “His name is Jet, his looks put all other boys to shame, and… we’ve done quite a lot.”  She blushed. 

“Have you had _sex_ with him?!” she whispered loudly, her brown eyes wide with curiosity. 

“No!”  Her blush intensified.  “Not yet anyway…” 

“Do you want to?” 

“I’m not sure…”  She looked away.  “A part of me does.” 

“Well, do you feel like you’re ready?” 

“How would I know if I’m ready?” 

“You’ll just know,” she smiled. 

Well, that was less-than-helpful advice.  But maybe she would have some insight into a different question.  “Ty Lee… how would I know if… if I were in love with him?” She felt so pathetic asking this insipid question. 

“Hm, well… he occupies your mind all day long, he makes your tummy feel fluttery, you see him when you close your eyes, you smile when you think about him – just like that!” 

Azula realized she had the stupidest smile on her face.  Ugh.  She forced a frown.  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” 

“Okay.  So… if you haven’t slept with him, what _have_ you done with him?!”  She was giddy with intrigue. 

“Well,” she smirked, “he did this thing to me last night where he…”  She leaned in closer to her friend and whispered the rest into her ear. 

“Azula!” she giggled, turning bright red.  “How… how was it?” 

“It was… _incredible_.”  She tilted her head.  “Do you think… Zuko and Mai know about this?”  She always strived to have a leg up on her brother. 

“Well, yeah, probably.” 

Blech.  She made a gagging gesture. 

“I mean, you know they’re having sex, right?” 

She had assumed as much.  Mai had been in a strangely good mood since Zuko returned home.  Still, that was the last thing she wanted to think about.  She covered her ears and scrunched her face.  “Just let me remain in denial about that.” 

The girls burst out in laughter.

* * *

“Jet,” she moaned into his ear as she neared her climax.  “Harder, Jet.” 

He was lying on top of the writhing, panting princess, naked except for the thin cotton of his underwear.  She had linked her legs with his to drive him closer to her core, bucking her hips rhythmically against his.  She was at the same level of undress as he was, and it was just about killing him. 

Thrusting his massive erection harder between her legs to meet her demand, he kissed down her jawline to her neck, where he began lapping and nipping at the soft skin.  Then he felt the speed of her hips really start to pick up and jolt.  

“Yes,” she gasped, pushing down on his lower back.  “Like that, just like that.” 

The feeling of her breasts pressed to his bare chest and the friction of his cock rubbing between her legs was unbelievable.  The little desperate whimpers she was making were driving him mad.  He soon felt her legs begin to quiver and he knew it wouldn’t be long before she burst.  It was so hot making her cum.  He rocked his hips faster and faster and faster until… 

“Ahhhhhh, Spirits Jet!” she groaned in sheer euphoria, pushing her hips all the way up and holding them there against him.  Her breaths gradually slowed and she gazed up at him with a hazy glint in her eye, smiling softly. 

“Azula,” he whispered, stroking her cheek tenderly, “I… I want to do this for real.” 

He felt her breath catch.  “What do you mean?”    

“I… I want to have sex with you.”  Okay… he probably should have phrased that a little more romantically.  Though it’s not like he had ever prepared for anything like this.  He had always imagined losing his virginity to some random girl he barely knew, giving her the fucking of a lifetime and then never speaking to her again.  But he wanted to do things differently with Azula.  “I have protection and I-I’ll be gentle, I promise.” 

“Jet,” she breathed, breaking eye contact.  “I… I do want to… with you, but… I just don’t feel like I’m ready.”  She looked back up at him with regret in her golden eyes.  “Is that okay?” 

“Yes, _yes_ , of course that’s okay!” he said with sincerity.  “If you’re not ready, you’re not ready and that’s that.” 

“Are you sure you’re okay with that?” 

He had never seen this meekness in her before, but he supposed a lot of people didn’t get to see her the way he did.  Over the weeks, he had truly been able to peel back all her complex layers, tear down her armored walls.  “Yes, I’m _sure_!  Azula…”  He smiled at her warmly, taking her hands and interweaving his fingers with hers.  “… I’ll wait for you, as long as it takes.  For as long as you’ll have me.” 

“Jet,” she trembled before pressing her soft lips to the back of his hand.  “I just… I don’t want to disappoint you.” 

“You’re _not_!  I swear you’re not.”  He gave her hands a squeeze.  “Look… I’m _crazy_ about you.  And nothing’s ever gonna change that.”  So there it was.  He put his feelings out on the table for the first time in his life.  It was exhilarating.  And terrifying.  

“Even though I’m an _ashmaker_?” she challenged. 

He could tell she felt dirty saying the word.  “I’m… I’m not gonna lie and tell you I’ve come around to the Fire Nation because I haven’t.  But to me, you’re so much more than that.”  It was the truth.  For her, he could overlook her noble status, her firebending abilities, her heritage.  He just wanted to be with her. 

She looked like she was about to cry, but she held it together.  “Jet...”  She smiled affectionately at him.  “I’m crazy about you too.”  She laughed softly. 

He laughed with her, knowing she probably felt as relieved and elated as he did. 

Both smiling, they shared a special look that needed no words.  A look that said: _I am yours._


	7. Madness

With a newfound lightness in her steps, Azula made her way to the gardens.  After all these years living in the Palace, she had never really taken the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the royal grounds.  But ever since _he_ touched her life, there was so much beauty all around. It was overwhelming.  The air had never felt so crisp.  The sun had never felt so warm.  Colors had never seemed so vibrant.

She wasn’t even bothered by her brother’s and Mai’s presence this time around.  It seemed they were having a lovely picnic. 

Or were they?  On closer inspection, they were apparently having some sort of argument.  What else was new?  Either they were sucking each other’s faces, ordering servants around, talking about hating the world, or bickering.  Normally Azula would take this opportunity to eavesdrop, but not today.  Today, she wanted to keep her distance.

From afar, she watched Mai storm off and leave.  Zuko lowered his head, seemingly more distraught than usual.  He had been eerily downcast since his return home, even after he had been invited to that war meeting he was so desperate to attend.  Ungrateful brat.  What was going on with him?  She decided to investigate.

She stealthily crept up behind him, reached her arm around his neck, and pulled two fingers across it in a slicing motion.  “You’re dead!”

“Cut it out, Azula,” he snarled, pushing her away.

“My, _someone’s_ snippy today.”

“I… I have a lot on my mind.”

She took a seat on the picnic blanket next to him.  “Anything you want to talk about, brother dearest?”  Her tone came out more sarcastic than she had intended.  She didn’t really know how to be nice to him.

“Not with you.”

“Fine.”  She stood up again and offered him her hand.  “Then let’s get your mind off of whatever’s going on and spar.”

“Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

“Come on,” she urged.  “I’ll go easy on you.”

“Not in the mood.”

Defeated, she sat back down on the blanket.  “Well, no wonder Mai left in such a hurry.”  So much for being nice.

“Shut up!” he spat, “You’re just jealous.  You’ve always been jealous.”

“Please,” she laughed sardonically.  “Why in the world would _I_ ever be jealous of _you_?”

“Because I have a girlfriend and you’re all alone,” he sneered with contempt.

“If you say so.”  She made sure to sound nonchalant, but this was war.  She reached over across his field of view to pick up a fresh peach from his picnic basket, ensuring he’d see the bruise on her neck.

His eyes narrowed.  “Where did you get that?”

She smirked.  “Maybe I’m not so alone after all.”  She took a victorious bite of the fruit.

“I didn’t realize you and Ty Lee swung that way,” he smirked right back at her.

“And I didn’t realize you had such a distinguished sense of humor.  Learn something new every day.”

“Well if not Ty Lee, then who gave that to you?”

“My _boyfriend_.”  That term was certainly premature, but she couldn’t help but gloat.

“Yeah right.  If you have a boyfriend, then why have I never seen him?”

“Because not everyone feels the need to flaunt their relationships, brother,” she taunted.

“You’re such a liar.”

“And why exactly is it so hard to believe I have a boyfriend?”

“Because.”  His eyes darkened.  “No one could ever love you.”

What?  What did he just say to her?  Did he really think that?  For once in her life, she didn’t have a witty remark to spit back at him.  All she could do was stare at him.  She watched his facial expression soften and his eyes grow remorseful.

“Azula, I…”

“Have a lovely rest of your day, Zuzu.”  She got up and started walking away from him.

“Azula, wait!” he called after her.  “Come on, don’t be like that.  How about that spar?”

She kept walking and never looked back.

* * *

Jet didn’t know exactly what was going on with the princess that night, but something was definitely not right.  The way she was kissing him… she was somehow overly aggressive and distracted at the same time.

“Hey, Azula,” he said, concerned, breaking the kiss.  “Is everything alright?”

“Of course,” she assured, “Everything’s fine.”  She straddled his waist and shed her robe.

Well, it was hard to argue with that. 

She was kissing him again in the next moment with a different kind of desperation.  And then her hand wandered down inside his underwear, where it began stroking his stirring cock up and down.

Damn it, it felt good.  He didn’t want to be enjoying this so much, sensing that something was off.  But her hand knew exactly what to do.  He groaned, and she smirked.

Continuing to pump his length, she began kissing and licking sloppily down his neck and chest.

“Mmph,” he grunted, rocking his hips steadily beneath her.

Her mouth and tongue trailed down his stomach and then some more, until she was licking up his erection over the fabric.

What had gotten into her?  Did he even have reason to worry?  It would be pretty damn stupid to complain. 

“I think you should take these off,” she strongly suggested with a naughty grin.

“Do you now?” he grinned back at her.  “Well, in that case…”  He slid off his underwear and waited for her next move. 

And then he felt her hot mouth on his cock.

“Ahhh, fuck,” he moaned, relaxing the muscles in his neck.  He stroked her side bangs back behind her ears and watched the beautiful girl suck him off.  “That’s _so_ good, Azula.”

She took him deep into her mouth, letting the tip press into the back of her cheek and using her hand to cover the rest of his hardened length.  If her jaw tired for even a second, she made sure to keep pleasuring him with her tongue, running it up and down and swirling it around the head.

“Ungh.”  She was making him release all sorts of unabashed sounds.  “Azula.  Such a good girl.”

Several minutes into it, she released him entirely from her mouth and straddled his waist once again, grinding herself against his erection while supporting it in her hand.

“Azula, what are you – ”  Spirits, why was he questioning her when she was making him feel so fucking good?!

“I’ve changed my mind, Jet.”  She smiled mischievously at him.  “I want you to take me.”

Oh no.  This wasn’t right.  “I-I told you it was okay – I don’t mind waiting.”

“I know.”  She continued to rub herself against him.  “But I want you.  I’m ready.”

Damn it, damn it, damn it.  He grabbed a hold of her hips to stop her movements.  “You weren’t ready last night, but now you are?  That doesn’t make any sense.”

She looked at him with pain in her golden eyes.  “Jet… don’t you want me?”

“Yes, of course I do!  But I just don’t think – ”

All of a sudden, her bedroom door swung open.

“Azula, we need to talk.  I’m sorry I – ”

Wide eyed, they stared in sheer horror at the boy who had just barged through the door, quickly throwing the covers over their bare shoulders.  It was Zuko.

He stared back at them, his already fair skin seemingly draining of blood.  “Jet?!”

“Hello, _Lee_.  Or would you prefer I call you Prince Zuko now?”

“Get away from my sister!” the scarred firebender screamed, forming a strong orange flame in his hand.  “Before I make you!” 

“Shut up, Zuzu!” she hissed at him.  “I swear if you rouse any guards right now, you’ll be sorry.”

Huffing, he extinguished the fire and closed the door behind him.  “So _this_ is the ‘boyfriend’ you’ve been talking about?!”

Boyfriend?  Jet smiled, liking the sound of that.

“What’s it to you?”  She crossed her arms.

“Do you even know who he is?!”  Zuko pointed straight at him.  “Everything he’s told you is a complete lie.”

She laughed, rolling her eyes.  “And how would you know that?”

“Because if you knew who he really was, you sure as hell wouldn’t be in bed with him!”

“Jet has been nothing but honest with me.  I know he’s Earth Kingdom, I know he lost his parents to the Fire Nation, I know about his rebellion, the Freedom Fighters, I know you two met traveling to Ba Sing Se, I know he was arrested by the Dai Li after he accused you of being a firebender, and I know he was almost killed because of _you_.”

Zuko seemed stunned that she knew so much.

With smug satisfaction, Jet placed his arm around the fuming princess.

“Oh yeah?  Well, then I guess you know how he feels about the Fire Nation, how he feels about firebenders.  He fucking _hates_ them.”

“This may be true.”  She looked over at him, giving him a warm smile.  “But he doesn’t hate me.”

“You think he genuinely _cares_ for you?!  Spirits, Azula.  For someone so gifted, you’re being absurdly naïve.  He’s clearly just using you.  He’s probably just trying to get you to fall for him so he can break your heart.”

“No,” she whispered, quickly shaking her head.  “No, he – he wouldn’t do that!”

If Jet hadn’t been completely naked, he would have started swinging at that Fire Nation swine.

“Just because you think no one could ever…”  Azula’s breathing strained.  “It doesn’t mean it’s true.”

What was she talking about?

“I _know_.”  Zuko’s tone softened a bit.  “I-I shouldn’t have said what I said earlier.  It was wrong.  That’s why I came in here – to apologize!”

Jet looked at the prince and then back to Azula.  “What… what did he say to you?”

She glared up at her brother.  “Why don’t _you_ tell him what you said?”

“I – ”  Zuko sighed audibly.  “I told her… I told her no one could ever love her.”

“Why would you say that to her?!” he exhaled, his blood boiling.  Now everything made sense.  The reason why Azula was acting so strange.  She just wanted to feel loved.  He could kill that scarred piece of shit right now. 

The princess placed her hand on his chest to hold him back.

“It just slipped out.  I didn’t mean it.  I’m sorry.”

He noticed Azula was clenching her jaw.  “Hey,” he breathed, turning to face her.  “You… you didn’t believe him, did you?”

She was quiet for a moment.  “No.  Of course not.”

But the waver in her voice gave her true answer away.  How could she possibly believe something like that?!  Gravely disheartened, he laid a tender kiss to her shoulder.

“You know,” Zuko started, “in a way, you two together is quite fitting.”  His tone abruptly harshened.  “But it’s also incredibly stupid.  I mean, this is _madness_!  You two are on opposite sides of this war – you’re _enemies_!  There’s no reality in which you’d ever work out in the long run.  So, I’m gonna go and let you two do whatever it was you were about to do because your _relationship_ , or whatever the fuck this is, is about to expire.  You’ll see.”

Azula hurled a blue fireball toward his head, but Zuko was already out the door before it hit.  Exasperated, she dropped her head into her hands.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he soothed.  “He’s out of his mind if he thinks – ”

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head.  “He’s… he’s right.”

“Azula, he’s just trying to get in our – ”

She swallowed and he could see tears begin to fall through her fingers.  “Jet… what do you think’s going to happen when this war ends?”

What was she getting at?  He grabbed her hands and pulled them away from her face, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. 

“The Fire Nation is going to win this war,” she continued through labored breaths.

The certainly in her voice set his hairs on end.

“Sozin’s comet is going to give us unbelievable power, I – I don’t even want to think about what will happen to you.  Even if you survive, you’ll surely be tortured, imprisoned, or worse after it’s over.  My father is not a merciful man, he – ”

“And what if you don’t win, then what happens?”

“We _will_ win,” she muttered, bringing her teary eyes up to meet his.

“How do you know that?!”

“Because.  It is my _destiny_.”

His arms broke out in goosebumps. 

“Father will one day give me the throne, and I _will_ rule this world.”

He didn’t even want to think about how Azula planned on stealing the throne from underneath her older brother.  “Well, I hate to tell you, but none of that is going to happen.  You’re going to lose this war.  I will _personally_ make sure of it.”

“You’re _really_ still going to fight against me?” she snarled, her eyes alit with anguish and rage.

“Are you serious?!  Do you _really_ think I’d change sides after everything that’s happened to me?!”

Her jaw trembled.  She looked away from him.

“How would you feel if I asked _you_ to change sides?!”

“You know I can’t do that!  I’m the _Princess_!”

“Azula,” he breathed, not wanting to fight with her.  He rested his forehead against hers.  “If you lose the war, the world will finally be at peace!  _We_ could be together, we could have everything – ”

“Don’t be foolish, Jet.  _If_ we lose, I’ll have to pay for my war crimes against the Earth Kingdom.  I’ll be imprisoned, probably for life.”

She had a valid point.  It was unlikely she’d ever be able to get away with seizing control of Ba Sing Se if the Fire Nation went down.  His heart ached in his chest, realizing just now that this was a losing battle after all.  Zuko was right.  There was no way they could be together.  There was no way he could end up with the girl who captured his heart, the girl who made him feel things he never knew were possible.  Tears welled in his eyes.  Fuck everything.

Their foreheads still pressed together, she laced her fingers with his.  “I… I don’t want this to end.”

“Neither do I… but… I think it has to.”

She nodded.

How had they managed to go from sharing their feelings for each other to breaking up in the course of one day?!  It was like he stepped out from a dream and into a nightmare.  And there was no way out.

He wanted to kiss her, to press his lips to hers one last time, but it was too painful.  He slowly pulled away from her, feeling her fingertips slide down the palm of his hands and eventually slip off.  He lazily dressed and walked over to her window, standing with his back toward her, just wanting to tell her something, _any_ words of affection.  Trembling, he turned his head over his shoulder.  “I’m still crazy about you, you know.”

“And I you,” she whispered back.

He forced a smile.  And then he turned back toward the window.  But just as he was about to push the glass doors open, he heard her call out to him.

“Jet, wait.”

He froze in place.

“Let’s have one more night together.  Please.”  She made room for him in her bed.  “I want to fall asleep next to you.  I’m not ready to – ”

He walked briskly back over to her and wrapped her in his arms, pulling her head to his chest.  And then he kissed her with everything he had.

It wasn’t until she was sleeping in his arms that he kissed the top of her head, breathed in the scent of her hair for possibly the last time, and left through the window into the darkness with no intention of returning to her room ever again.


	8. Acceptance

First it was her mother.  Then the brown-eyed boy.  Then Zuzu, the two girls who she mistakenly allowed to join her elite team, and finally her own father.  Sooner or later, everybody leaves or betrays.  It was a good life lesson.  She had been right all along.  _Trust is for fools.  Fear is the only reliable way_.  

The only thing that remained was herself.  And she was not herself.  Her mind was… not her own.  It was turned against her.  _Poisoned_.  Mother did this to her.  She couldn’t stand to see her succeed.  She had always been plotting against her. 

Nothing she saw was real.  It couldn’t be real.  There was no way she had just been defeated by that filthy waterbending bitch.  There was no way, and yet, here she was, unable to move her arms.  They were chained behind her.  How her shoulders ached, nearly tearing from their sockets as she struggled to get out.  Nothing was working.  Nothing was real.  

Nothing could be trusted.  Not the hyperventilation of her chest, not the echoing of her own screams and sobs, not the fire shooting from her mouth.  And certainly not Zuzu and the snow peasant looking at her with such pity.  

And then there was a third person.  Someone familiar.  But no, it couldn’t be.  Her vision was just blurry through all these disgraceful, unrelenting tears.  That was all.  

But it appeared he was looking at her.  He looked just as broken as her scattered, fragmented mind.  She could have sworn he was moving toward her, but it was hard to tell.  Nothing made sense. 

“Don’t go near her!”  She could hear the waterbender shout. 

“She’s too dangerous!”  She could hear her brother warn. 

But the boy didn’t listen.  He stood before her and fell to his knees.  “Azula,” he trembled, “It’s me.  It’s Jet.” 

She quickly shook her head.  “No.  No, no, no.  You’re not real.  None of this is real.”  Fire continued to spray from her mouth as she spoke. 

“ _I’m_ real.  Stop firebending and I can prove it to you.” 

His voice was earnest.  Soothing.  It had been a long time since she last heard it.  But still, Mother had come to her too and _she_ wasn’t real.  She didn’t smell like her perfume – she didn’t smell like anything.  Her touch was always icy cold on her skin. 

“Please, Azula.  For me.” 

She squeezed her eyes closed and took a deep breath.  Tears continued to pour down her cheeks, but the fire ceased.  And then… she could feel the boy’s arms around her, squeezing her, holding her tight.  He smelled like the scent left behind on her pillow.  His touch was warm. 

He was real. 

She dropped her head onto his shoulder. 

“I’m here,” he whispered, “I’ve got you.  You’re safe.” 

“Jet,” she whispered back. 

“Yes,” he nodded.  “It’s me.”  He cupped her cheeks with his hands and touched his forehead to hers, smiling.  “Everything’s gonna be okay.  I’m gonna take care of you.  I’m here now.” 

She wanted to believe him.  But nothing was ever that easy.

* * *

“WHERE DID YOU TAKE HER?!”  He was so angry, he was nearly foaming at the mouth. 

“Jet, please calm down.”  Zuko signaled for his guards to back off.  “I had her committed to a high-security asylum.  It’s not too far away from here – it’s just over the – ” 

“Are you _kidding_ me?!  Are you stupid?!”  He would have reached for his weapons if he hadn’t been surrounded by uneasy guards. 

“She’s not well!  She’s getting the care she needs!” 

“You have no idea what she needs!”  He marched up to the new Fire Lord, staring him straight in the eye.  His golden eyes looked like _hers_.  It made his stomach knot.  “She needs someone to care for her, someone she trusts.” 

“Someone like you?” 

“Yes!  Or even you – you’re her _brother_!  You didn’t have to send her away from the Palace, you didn’t have to abandon her – ” 

“First off, she does _not_ trust me.  Not after I switched sides.  And second, I didn’t have a choice!” 

“Bullshit!” 

“I mean it.”  Zuko lowered his voice.  “I’m the Fire Lord now – I’m trying to bring about an era of peace to the world.  I have to listen to my people, and… an unstable firebending prodigy walking about freely does _not_ make them feel safe!” 

“Then why not put her under house arrest or something?” 

“That’s not good enough – you know that!  She could easily overpower any caretaker and run away.” 

“ _I_ could have been her caregiver.  She would never do anything to harm me – ”                                                                     

“I know that.”  He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.  “But the rest of the world wants her locked up, behind bars like Ozai.  This seemed like a fair compromise compared to other alternatives!  Katara, she suggested I have Aang take away her bending!” 

He clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes.  Katara was the absolute fucking worst.  He could barely believe he once _kissed_ that self-righteous Water Tribe trash, even if he had only done it to manipulate her.  It still left a bitter taste in his mouth.   

“Of course I couldn’t do that to her.” 

He nodded, trying his best to understand the position Zuko was in.  And he could see in his eyes how difficult this was for him.  “Can I at least visit her?” 

“You can, but just know… it’s going to be _really_ hard to see her.”  He looked down solemnly at the floor.  “She’s not the Azula you once knew.” 

“I know.”  He tentatively placed his hand on the Fire Lord’s shoulder to offer some comfort.  Zuko had earned his respect since abandoning his title as Prince and helping the Avatar fight against his own father.  And… he figured it couldn’t hurt to become friendly with the brother of the girl who took his breath away.  “But I won’t give up on her.  I can make her better.” 

“I hope you’re right.”  He looked back up at Jet and smiled.  “Visiting hours are few and far between.  And she’ll be fully restrained and closely monitored, but – ” 

“That’s not good enough.”  Jet shook his head.  “Come on, Zuko.  You’re the Fire Lord now, can’t you pull some strings?  I can’t help her if we’re constantly being watched.” 

“You… you really care about her, don’t you?” 

“I really do.” 

“Then I’ll do anything in my power to help you help her.” 

“Well, in that case…”  He smirked.  “Maybe you can help me out with a little plan.”

* * *

She hated the island.  She hated the asylum.  She hated the tedium.  Every day was the same.  And all the days blended together.  Insomnia kept her awake and exhausted, yet her body buzzed with restless energy.  She hated being treated like a rabid animal.  She hated – 

“Azula,” the young woman pushing her wheelchair said, “another patient would like to accompany you on your walk today… would you like that?”

 “How can you call this a _walk_ when I’m confined to this horrid chair?” 

The girl in pink stopped rolling her and walked around to the front.  She smiled, making her already kind-looking face appear that much more gentle.  “You’ve been on good behavior lately – I think I can do you one little favor.”  She bent down and proceeded to unbuckle the restraints on her legs. 

This woman must have been up to something.  “What’s this about?” 

“You should get some exercise, Princess,” a male voice called from behind her.  A voice she recognized. 

She turned her head over her shoulder.  Her eyes met with his and her stomach dropped.  “Jet?” 

“It’s good to see you – ” 

“Is he… really there?” she whispered to the orderly. 

The woman smiled sweetly at her and nodded. 

She looked back up at Jet.  “What… What are you doing here?” 

“Let’s walk,” he grinned before helping her out of her chair. 

With her arms bound in a straightjacket, she could not stand on her own.  But at least she could move her legs.  “I can… I can go with him?” 

The orderly nodded. 

The sand was warm beneath her toes.  It reminded her of the shores of Ember Island.  For once in a very long time, life didn’t seem so bleak.

“Azula, I… I don’t even know where to – ” 

“How are you here?” 

He laughed.  “Well, you may find this hard to believe, but I’m actually a patient here.” 

She blinked and looked at him skeptically.  “But you’re not…” 

“Your brother had me admitted.  All I had to do was insist I had been brainwashed by the Dai Li.  No one really asked any questions after that.” 

She wasn’t sure if she should laugh, yell, smile, cry, or what.  “That was foolish.” 

“Yeah, maybe,” he smiled.  “But… I couldn’t keep away from you any longer.” 

Her heart stopped.  “I… I don’t understand.  You won the war, you finally have the chance to be free, and I…”  She shook her head.  “I feel like I don’t know anything anymore.  Everything I know is wrong.  Everything has been a lie.” 

“I know things must be confusing for you right now…” 

“I did _everything_ I was asked to do and more!”  Her breath caught as she choked back tears.  “And it wasn’t good enough.  _I_ wasn’t good enough.  And… I’m not good enough for you.  You should just move on, forget about me – ” 

“Azula.”  He grabbed onto her shoulders and held her in place.  “You know I can’t do that.” 

“Try!”  He had to try.  She was no good for him.  He’d be happier without her. 

“I _did_.  After we ended things, I tried to forget about you, I really did.  But I couldn’t!  I never stopped thinking about you or caring about you, not even for a second.” 

“Jet, _please_.  I’m not… right.  You can do better, you can find someone – ” 

“I told you I was crazy about you and nothing could change that, and I meant what I said.”  He released a frustrated sigh.  “This isn’t easy for me to talk about, you know.” 

She smiled for the first time since the war ended.  “I know.” 

He stroked her hair back behind her ear.  “Can I give you a hug now?” 

She nodded, and he wrapped his arms around her.  Not that she could reciprocate.  Her arms were still thoroughly restrained in the stupid straightjacket.  Nonetheless, it felt good to be in his arms once again.  It felt like… home.  “I missed you,” she whispered into his ear, “And… I’m _really_ happy you’re here.”

* * *

It wasn’t exactly easy sneaking into her room that night, but compared to breaking into the Palace, it was a cakewalk.  

She was standing barefoot in a fighting stance when he entered, but he knew it wasn’t the rattling of her lock that had awoken her.  She probably hadn’t been sleeping at all. 

“Azula, it’s me.” 

She regarded him warily.  “I don’t know, I don’t know.” 

“I’m real,” he insisted, walking carefully toward her.  “Can I show you?” 

She nodded. 

He took her hand and held it to his cheek. 

“You’re warm,” she whispered, smiling faintly. 

He smiled back at her and gave the palm of her hand a soft kiss. 

“Jet, I…”  Her voice was unsteady.  She removed her hand from his cheek.  “I still don’t understand why you’re here.  Why… Why would you do all of this for me?” 

“I told you, I – ” 

“It just doesn’t make any sense.”  She looked down at her feet.  “I lost _everything_.  I have nothing to give you.  I have nothing.  I am… nothing.” 

His stomach twisted.  “No.”  He took her hands in his.  “Don’t ever think that.  Hey, look at me.” 

Slowly, she brought her sorrowful golden eyes up to his. 

“Azula, to me… you are _everything_.” 

Her lips began to tremble.  “It doesn’t make sense.” 

“Well, _love_ doesn’t make sense.”  The words just poured out of him.  Now they were out and he couldn’t get them back.  

She stared at him in shock, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight. 

“And I… I love you, damn it.”  His heart was pounding in his chest.  Never in a million years would he have guessed he’d fall in love with a firebender of all people.  But the war was over.  The Fire Nation was no longer his enemy.  And Spirits did he love her. 

Tears started spilling down her cheeks.  “You can’t, you can’t, you can’t!  It’s not possible.” 

He intertwined his fingers with hers and gave her hands a gentle squeeze.  “It _is_ possible, and I do.  And the sooner you can accept that, the sooner we can move on with our lives and be together.  Nothing’s holding us back anymore, don’t you see?” 

She was quiet for a while as she considered his words.  Her breathing was heavy and her tears were hot against his skin as he wiped them away.  Finally she broke the silence.  “Why…?” 

“Why what?” 

“Why do you… love me?” 

For so many reasons!  Too many to name.  “I don’t know, Azula,” he laughed.  “Maybe for the same reason you love me?” 

“Well, _someone’s_ presumptuous,” she laughed through her tears. 

“Azula…”  He lowered his head and gave her an all-knowing look. 

“Fine,” she exhaled.  She paused and it felt like forever.  “I love you too.” 

He smiled, feeling unexpectedly overwhelmed by the words.  “See, was that really so hard?”           

“Yes,” she smiled back. 

Shaking his head and laughing, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him, capturing her lips with a tender, passionate kiss. 

She snaked a hand around the back of his head and pressed herself against him, deepening the kiss. 

Kissing her again like this was beyond his wildest dreams.  He had been so hopeless since they went their separate ways.  He never imagined he’d get to touch her like this again.  But now that he had her again, he was determined to hold on to her forever. 

Somewhere throughout all the kissing and groping, they had made their way over to her bed, where they carelessly fell onto the mattress entwined in each other’s embrace. 

“I love you, Jet,” she breathed against his lips. 

“I love you too, Azula.”  He pressed his lips to hers.  “So much.” 

She pulled her meager blanket up over their shoulders.  “Can you stay the night?” 

“I can stay until you fall asleep – it would be a tragedy if we got caught.” 

“Right,” she smiled. 

“Hey Azula… promise me something, will you?” 

“Anything.” 

He gazed into her eyes, gently stroking her cheek.  “Promise me you’ll do your best to get better so we can leave this place and be together, okay?” 

“Okay, Jet.”  She softly kissed his knuckles.  “I promise.” 

It didn’t take long before exhaustion set in and he watched her peacefully fall asleep in his arms.  Running his fingers through her long black hair, he couldn’t help but smile at the sleeping beauty.  His heart was fluttering in his ribcage.  It still seemed unreal, and yet, somehow against all odds, it appeared they were going to get their happy ending after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!


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